ACTS OF 1909.

I.

[Laws of Wisconsin, 1909, ch. 109, p. 108.]

AN ACT To amend sections 1797-98 of the statutes, permitting immigration agents to obtain reduced rates on railways.

The people of the State of Wisconsin, represented in the senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SECTION 1. Sections 1797-98 of the statutes is amended to read:

SEC. 1797-98. 1. Nothing herein shall prevent the carriage, storage, or handling of freight free or at reduced rates for the United States, the State, or any municipality thereof, or for charitable purposes, or to and from fairs and expositions for exhibition thereat, or household goods the property of railway employees, or commodities shipped by employees for their own exclusive use or consumption, or the issuance of mileage, commutation, or excursion passengers' tickets, provided the same shall be obtainable by any person applying therefor, without discrimination, or of party tickets, provided the same shall be obtainable by all persons applying therefor under like circumstances and conditions; or the sale of such tickets as were usually and customarily sold at reduced rates prior to June 15, 1905, provided the same are sold without discrimination to all persons applying therefor under like circumstances and conditions.

2. This act shall not be construed as preventing railroads from giving free transportation or reduced rates therefor to any minister of the gospel, officers or agent of incorporated colleges, inmates of soldiers' homes, regular agents of charitable societies when traveling upon the business of the society only, destitute and homeless persons, railroad officer, attorney, director, employee, or members of their families, or to former railroad employees or members of their families where such employees have become disabled in the railway service, or are unable from physical disqualification to continue in the service, or to members of families of deceased railroad employees; or to prevent the exchange of passes with officers, attorneys, or employees of other railroads and members of their families: Provided, That no person holding any public office or position under the laws of this State shall be given free transportation or reduced rates not open to the public.

3. This act shall not be construed as preventing railroad companies from giving free transportation or reduced rates therefor to bona fide immigration agents actually engaged for more than one-half of their time each year in the business of inducing immigration into the State of Wisconsin to settle upon unimproved lands within the State. No transportation hereunder shall be delivered to or used by any such immigration agent until the railroad commission upon application of such immigration agent and after such investigation as it may deem necessary shall have determined that such applicant is a bona fide immigration agent within the letter and spirit of this provision, and shall have issued to such applicant a certificate to that effect. On or before the 10th day of each month every immigration agent holding a certificate hereunder shall report to the commission the miles traveled upon the railroads of the State under the provisions hereof during the preceding calendar month.

4. Upon any shipment of live stock or other property of such nature as to require the care of an attendant, the railroad may furnish to the shipper, or some person or persons designated by him, free transportation for such attendant, including return passage to the point at which the shipment originated: Provided, There shall be no discrimination in reference thereto between such shippers, and the commission shall have power to prescribe regulations in relation thereto.

5. Except as provided in this section, no free transportation for intrastate traffic shall be given to any person by any railroad.

SEC. 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and publication.

Approved, May 12, 1909.

II.

[Laws of Wisconsin, 1909, ch. 444, p. 542.]

AN ACT To amend sections 237h, 237i, and 237j of the statutes, relating to the state board of immigration.

The people of the State of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SECTION 1. Sections 237h, 2371, and 237j of the statutes are amended. to read:

SEC. 237h. The secretary of state, * the dean of the college of agriculture, and the president of the state board of agriculture shall constitute a state board of immigration to serve without compensation. The secretary of state shall be ex officio chairman of said board. In the event of a vacancy in said board the remaining two members shall constitute the board.

SEC. 237. The state board of immigration shall appoint a qualified elector of this State to be secretary of said board, and such secretary shall be officially known and styled commissioner of immigration. The said commissioner of immigration shall hold office during the pleasure of said board and shall receive a salary of eighteen hundred dollars per annum and necessary traveling expenses, and shall perform such functions as said board shall designate. The said commissioner of immigration shall be provided with an office and suitable furniture and stationery at the expense of the State. Before entering upon the duties of his office the said commissioner shall make and subscribe an oath of office in the usual form. The said board of immigration shall secure the services of not to exceed one stenographer for the use of said commissioner, the compensation for said stenographic work to be fixed and determined by said board.

SEC. 237j. It shall be the duty of the state board of immigration to cause to be collected and printed, in such form as may be best calculated to attract to the State desirable immigrants seeking homes and capital seeking profitable investment, information relating to the advantages and opportunities offered by this State to the farmer, the merchant, the manufacturer, the home seeker, and the summer visitor. The publications of said board shall be made in the form of circulars, folders, and pamphlets, with or without maps or illustrations, and shall contain in succinct language easily comprehended by the general public statements relating to the soil, climate, water, products, markets, transportation facilities, summer resorts, location of undeveloped lands, and the relative value and cost of these lands compared with those of other localities. The board may in its discretion determine whether one or more or all such subjects shall be included in each of the circulars, folders, and pamphlets printed by authority of this act. The board may in its discretion cause to be translated and printed in such foreign language or languages as may be selected any or all of the circulars, folders, and pamphlets provided for in this section. For the purpose of securing a more complete distribution of the above-mentioned literature, the said board of immigration may cause to be inserted in newspapers, magazines, and farm papers appropriate notices, maintain permanent exhibits in populous centers, and make exhibits at public fairs, but the total expense of such notices and exhibits shall not exceed ten per cent of the total funds available for the maintenance of the said board.

SEC. 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and publication.

Approved, June 15, 1909.

WYOMING.

DIGEST OF IMMIGRATION AND ALIEN LAWS.

Act of 1873 (an act to establish a board of immigration, and for other purposes).-By the act of 1873 a board of immigration was established in the Territory of Wyoming. The governor shall appoint a commissioner of immigration who, with the governor and the president of the board of county commissioners of each county, shall constitute a board of immigration. The commissioner shall be secretary of the board, and a president shall be elected from its members. It shall be the duty of the commissioner to prepare, publish, and circulate reliable data pertaining to the resources and advantages of Wyoming. Such data shall indicate the location of profitable resources, describe opportunities for investment, estimate profits in industries, and discuss advantages for the home seeker. He shall furnish data to persons in this country and Europe engaged in organizing colonies or inducing immigrants to settle in the West. He shall arrange low rates of transportation and devise all lawful and feasible means to increase the population and wealth of the Territory and to develop its resources. He shall prepare a suitable exhibit for the Philadelphia exposition of 1876. He shall make biennial reports to the legislature. He shall encourage county immigration societies to organize and cooperate with the state board. He shall give bond for $5,000, serve a term of two years, and receive an annual salary of $1,000.

Each board of county commissioners may appoint a corresponding secretary to aid the state board in collecting data. The presidents of boards of county commissioners shall receive $5 for each day of service to board of immigration.

Act of 1888 (an act providing for the encouragement of immigration to the Territory of Wyoming and for other purposes).-By the act of 1888 the secretary of the Territory was authorized to devise appropriate means of promoting immigration to Wyoming and of encouraging the permanent settlement and improvement of all sections of the Territory. He shall prepare, publish, and distribute data relating to the development of agricultural, manufacturing, commercial, stock, and mining interests. He may cooperate with transportation companies to exhibit the resources and products of Wyoming at any fairs and expositions in the United States. He shall be official statistician, and obtain and collate statistics concerning all phases of the growth of the Territory by counties. He shall make a biennial report to the governor. He shall have power to employ clerical assistance at expense not in excess of $500. He shall have funds available to the amount of $2,500 for general expenses, and at the discretion of boards of county commissioners a secretary for each county may be appointed to secure data for his county.

Act of 1907 (an act creating a department of immigration).—The act of 1907 created a department of immigration composed of the commissioner of public lands, the state geologist, and the state engineer. It shall be its duty to collect, compile, and distribute reliable information in regard to the resources of the State; to employ advertising agents, and otherwise exploit the possibilities of Wyoming. It shall have power to require other public officers to cooperate in collecting official data.

IMMIGRATION AND ALIEN LAWS.

ACT OF 1873.

[Wyoming Laws, 1873, ch. 45, p. 198.]

AN ACT To establish a board of immigration, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the council and house of representatives of the Territory of Wyoming:

SECTION 1. That the governor be, and is hereby, authorized to appoint, by and with the consent of the council, a commissioner of immigration, who, together with the governor and the president of the board of county commissioners of each county, shall constitute a board of immigration, any four of whom shall constitute a quorum to transact business.

SEC. 2. That said board of immigration shall meet on the first Monday of October of each year, at the office of the commissioner of immigration, or elsewhere, as called by the governor, to make rules and regulations for the government of the commissioners of immigration, and to do all other acts which they deem best to promote the object of this act: Provided, That the first meeting of said board of immigration shall be called by the governor, to meet at the capital or some other town or city of the Territory, on or before the first Monday of February, 1874: And provided further, That the commissioner of immigration shall be secretary of said board of immigration and the members of said board shall elect one of their number president of said board, and who shall preside at all meetings of the board, and who shall be authorized to call special meetings of the board when the interests of the Territory shall demand it: Provided further, That said board of immigration shall not under any consideration involve the Territory in any indebtedness or expense in amount exceeding the sum appropriated by this act.

SEC. 3. That the commissioner of immigration shall devote at least one-half of his time to the duties of his office. He shall, as secretary of said board of immigration, keep a record of all the proceedings of such board. He shall keep a book or books, in which shall be entered all moneys expended and for what purposes expended. He shall, for the purpose of encouraging and directing immigration to the Territory, from time to time, under the direction of said board, publish and disseminate such useful information as he can obtain concerning the developed and undeveloped resources of the Territory, and in pamphlets or circulars for distribution he shall set forth the opportunities for agriculture and grazing in the Territory and the estimated profits of such branches of business, the